Apparatus, method, program, and recording medium for setting guidance information

ABSTRACT

A guidance information setting apparatus for setting guidance information, comprising: a means for transmitting the unique information about a terminal to a server when the terminal is connected to a network; a means for receiving guidance information or the number (e.g., floor number) corresponding to the guidance information in response to transmitting said unique information to the server; a means for indicating the guidance information for a user based on said received guidance information or the guidance information extracted from a company-wide information based on the number corresponding to the guidance information.  
     The guidance information setting apparatus has a function of turning on or turning off the power to each of the terminals through the server.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus, method, program,and recording medium for setting guidance information.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Conventionally, an automatic computer reception system isprovided on every floor or in every building of a company. The terminalof the automatic computer reception system allows a user to input thename and/or department and/or the like of a member of the company whobelongs to the department on the floor or in the building where theterminal is placed, indicates the candidates thereof, and offers aservice such as calling the member automatically with the interphonewhen the user selects the name or the like of the member.

[0005] The conventional automatic computer reception system has aproblem that it is necessary to replace the terminal with a new terminalwhen some failure has occurred to the automatic reception system, and aproblem that it is necessary for the installer to make several settingsso as to offer the service of retrieving the names and/or departmentsand/or the like only of the members belonging to the department on thefloor or in the building where the terminal is placed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anapparatus, method, program, and recording medium for setting guidanceinformation, wherein: each reception terminal is connected to amanagement server through a network in order to make it possible to turnon and off the power to the reception terminal automatically; themanagement server transmits the number (e.g., floor number)corresponding to the guidance information to the reception terminal whenthe reception terminal is connected to the network; and the receptionterminal offers the guidance information, etc. extracted from thecompany-wide information based on the number.

[0007] The management server controls many reception terminals. Each ofthe reception terminals is connected to the management server throughthe network and is placed on a floor, etc. of the building of thecompany to give guidance information, about the members on the floor,etc., to a user.

[0008] Next, the operation of the guidance information setting apparatuswill be described.

[0009] Each of the reception terminals transmits the unique informationabout the reception terminal to the management server when the receptionterminal is connected to the network. The reception terminal indicatesthe guidance information for a user based on the guidance informationreceived from the management server or the guidance informationextracted from the company-wide information based on the number receivedfrom the management server.

[0010] When the reception terminal has no response from the server afterbeing connected to the server, the reception terminal indicates theguidance information for a user based on the guidance informationreceived from the management server last time or the guidanceinformation extracted from the company-wide information based on thenumber received from the management server last time.

[0011] The reception terminal indicates the company-wide guidanceinformation when the number received from the server is the particularnumber designating company-wide guidance.

[0012] The management server transmits a power turn-on command or apower turn-off command to each of the reception terminals registered inthe terminal management master through the network, and receives theunique information about each of the reception terminals from each ofthe reception terminals through the network. When the received uniqueinformation about the reception terminal has been registered in theterminal management master, the management server transmits a number inthe entry registered in the terminal management master to the receptionterminal. On the other hand, when the received unique information aboutthe reception terminal has not been registered in the terminalmanagement master, the management server registers new uniqueinformation about the reception terminal and a particular numberdesignating the company-wide guidance information in the terminalmanagement master, and then transmits the particular number.Furthermore, the management server transmits the company-wide guidanceinformation or the guidance information corresponding to the number inthe entry or the particular number to the reception terminal.

[0013] Thus, each of the reception terminals is connected to themanagement server through a network so that the power to the receptionterminal may be turned on and off automatically by the managementserver, and the guidance information or the number (e.g., floor number)corresponding to the guidance information is transmitted from themanagement server to the reception terminal when the reception terminalis connected to the network so that the guidance information transmittedfrom the management server or the guidance information extracted fromthe company-wide information based on the number transmitted from themanagement server may be given to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting the system configuration of anembodiment of the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting the operation of an embodiment ofthe present invention.

[0016]FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B comprise a flow chart depicting a firstspecific example of the operation of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0017]FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting a second specific example of theoperation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B comprise a flow chart depicting a thirdspecific example of the operation of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0019]FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B comprise a flow chart depicting a fourthspecific example of the operation of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0020]FIG. 7 shows an example of a terminal management master.

[0021]FIG. 8 shows an example of a company-wide telephone directorymaster.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The preferred embodiments of the present invention and theoperations thereof are described below in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

[0023]FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting the system configuration of anembodiment of the present invention.

[0024] In FIG. 1, the management server 1 is a computer system forperforming various processes according to programs. The managementserver 1 turns on or off the power to the many reception terminals 2connected to the network 3, and downloads the guidance information, etc.to the reception terminals 2. The management server 1 comprises aprocessing unit 10 and an external storage unit 11. The external storageunit 11 contains files such as a terminal management master 111 and acompany telephone directory master 112.

[0025] The terminal management master 111 is a file in which the numbers(e.g., floor numbers) of the reception terminals 2, and the MAC (MediumAccess Control) addresses and the floor information of the receptionterminals 2 related to the numbers of the reception terminals 2 areregistered, as shown in FIG. 7, and by which it is determined that anyof the reception terminals offers the guidance information of any of thefloors (installation places).

[0026] The company telephone directory master 112 is a file, as shown inFIG. 8, for the registration and management of the names, departments,telephone numbers (numbers for contact), etc. of all members of thecompany.

[0027] The reception terminal 2 is connected to the management server 1through the network 3, and is placed on each floor of the building. Whena user (a customer from the outside) inputs and selects the name and/ordepartment and/or the like of the member whom the user is going to makecontact with, the reception terminal 2 performs a so-called receptionguidance such as indication of, and/or calling, the extension number ofthe member.

[0028] The operation of the overall system shown in FIG. 1 is describedbelow with reference to FIG. 2.

[0029]FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting the operation of this embodimentof the present invention. In FIG. 2, the steps S1 and S3 are theprocesses by the management server 1 and are executed by the processingunit 10, and the steps S2, and S4 to S6 are the processes by each of thereception terminals 2 and are executed by the processing units 20 of thereception terminals 2.

[0030] At the step S1, the server 1 transmits a start command to each ofthe reception terminal 2. That is, the server 1 transmit, through thenetwork 3, a packet/command (e.g., MagicPacket) of instructing thereception terminal to turn on the power thereto to the receptionterminals 2 registered in the terminal management master 111. Wakeup OnLan supported by the packets of TCP/IP, IPX, etc., transmits information(synchronizing stream (6 bites FFh) and 16 times of IEEE address (MACaddress) are repeated) constituting the MagicPack to the receptionterminal 2 through the network 3, and turns on (or off) the power to theCPU board (not shown) of the reception terminal 2 when the LANcontroller 21, which is also called a LAN card (see FIG. 1), receivesthe information constituting the MagicPack.

[0031] At the step S2, the reception terminal 2 obtains a floor number.That is, the reception terminal 2 which was started at the step S1transmits the MAC address stored in the memory on the LAN card 21 to theserver 1, and then the server 1, at the step S3, transmits the floornumber, which is related to the MAC address and registered in theterminal management master 111, to the reception terminal 2, and at thestep S2 the reception terminal 2 obtains the transmitted floor number.

[0032] At the step S4, the company-wide telephone directory master istransmitted to the reception terminal 2. That is, the server 1 transmitsthe company-wide telephone directory master to the reception terminal 2through the network 3. The reception terminal 2 stores the receivedcompany-wide telephone directory master in the external storage unit 23.The company-wide telephone directory master stored in the externalstorage unit 23 is shown as the company-wide telephone directory master123.

[0033] At the step S5, the reception terminal 2 selects and reads theguidance information. That is, based on the floor number obtained at thestep S2, the reception terminal 2 extracts the guidance information, towhich the floor number has been set, from the company-wide telephonedirectory master 123 which was transferred to the external storage unit123 at the step S4, and reads and keeps the guidance information.

[0034] At the step S6, the guidance information is displayed on the CRT(not shown) of the reception terminal 2. That is, according to therequirement (e.g., guidance requirement designating the name,department, etc. of the member A) by a user, the reception terminaldisplays the guidance information (e.g., the extension number of themember A), and/or dials the extension number to call the member A.

[0035] As described above, the server 1 requests the reception terminals2 placed on the many floors to turn on the power thereto, automatically,and at the same time, through the network 3, at the time (predeterminedtime) for starting work in the early morning, and then requests each ofthe reception terminals, the power to which has been turned on, totransmit the MAC address to the server 1, and then transmits the floornumber corresponding the MAC address and the company-wide telephonedirectory master 112 to the reception terminal 2. Each of the receptionterminals 2 extracts the telephone directory of the floor where thereception terminal is placed from the company-wide telephone directorymaster 112 based on the received floor number, and displays theextension telephone number and/or the desk position and/or the likecorresponding to the name and/or department and/or the like input by theuser, for example, on the display. Thus, various kinds of guidanceinformation may be given to the user, and the company-wide telephonedirectory master 112 is always renewed to the latest one so that thelatest guidance information may be supplied to each of the receptionterminals automatically. The above operation will be detailed below.

[0036]FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B comprise a flow chart depicting a firstspecific example of the operation of this embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0037] At the step S11 in FIG. 3B, the server 1 reads the terminalmanagement master 111.

[0038] At the step S12, the server 1 transmits the start command to thereception terminals 2.

[0039] At the step S13, the LAN controller 21 of the reception terminal2 which has received the start command at the step S12 starts thisreception terminal 2 (turns on the power to the CPU board of thereception terminal 2 to start the reception terminal 2).

[0040] At the step S14, the reception terminal 2 obtains a floor number.That is, the reception terminal 2 transmits a packet, in which the MACaddress of the reception terminal 2 is set, of requesting a floor numberto the server 1, and the server 1, at the step S15, issues a floornumber (the server 1 retrieves, from the terminal management master 111discussed later, the floor number corresponding to the MAC addressrequired by the reception terminal 2 at the step S14), and thentransmits the floor number to the reception terminal 2.

[0041] At the step S16, the server 1 determines whether all of thereception terminals have started. In case of yes, the process of theserver 1 is finished. In case of no, the process returns to the stepS12.

[0042] At the step S17, the company-wide telephone directory master 112is transmitted. That is, the reception terminal 2 requests the server 1to transmit the company-wide telephone directory master 112 to thereception terminal 2 through the network 3. The company-wide telephonedirectory master in the reception terminal 2 is shown as thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123 in FIG. 3A.

[0043] At the step S18, the company-wide telephone directory master 123is read.

[0044] At the step S19, it is determined whether the reading process hasfinished for all of the members of the company registered in thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123. In case of yes, the processis finished. In case of no, the process goes to the step S20.

[0045] At the step S20, it is determined whether the floor number of themember designated by a user is equal to the floor number obtained at thestep S14. In case of yes, the guidance information is displayed at thestep S21, and then the process returns to the step S18. In case of no,the process returns to the step S18. Thus, the reception terminal 2 mayautomatically perform a so-called reception operation of extracting onlythe guidance information, corresponding to the floor number obtained atthe step S14, of the service area of this reception terminal 2 from thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123, and of displaying theextension telephone number and/or the desk position and/or the likecorresponding to the name and/or department and/or the like input and/orselected by a user, and/or of dialing the extension telephone number.

[0046] As described above, the server 1 automatically transmits a powerstart command to the reception terminals 2, whose MAC addresses areregistered in the terminal management master 111, in order to start thereception terminals at the time for starting work in the early morning,and then requests the reception terminals 2 which have started totransmit the floor number request in which a MAC address has been set,and then transmits the floor number designating the service areacorresponding to the MAC address. Thus, the reception terminal 2 mayextract the guidance information of the service area from thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123 based on the floor number,and gives the guidance information to the user (for example, displaysthe extension telephone number and/or the desk position corresponding tothe name and/or department which have been input).

[0047]FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting a second specific example of theoperation of this embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] At the step S31 in FIG. 4, the power to the reception terminal 2is turned on. That is, an administrator or the like turns on the powerto the reception terminal 2.

[0049] At the step S32, the reception terminal 2 obtains a floor number.That is, the reception terminal the power to which was turned on at thestep S31 starts automatically, and transmits the packet in which a MACaddress is set to the server 1 through the network 3 to request a floornumber.

[0050] At the step S33, it is determined whether there is no responsefrom the server 1. That is, after the packet in which a MAC address isset was transmitted to the server 1 at the step S32, it is determinedwhether there is no response from the server 1. In case of yes, thereception terminal 2 assumes that some failure of the server 1 hasoccurred, and obtains, at the step S34, the floor number stored in theexternal storage unit 23 or a volatile memory (not shown) at the laststart, and then the process goes to the step S36. In case of no at thestep S33, since the reception terminal 2 has obtained a floor numberfrom the server 1, the process goes to the step S35. At the step S35,the server 1 transmits the latest company-wide telephone directorymaster 112 to the reception terminal 2. The company-wide telephonedirectory master in the external storage unit 23 is replaced with thelatest company-wide telephone directory master. The process then goes tothe step S36.

[0051] At the step S36, the company-wide telephone directory master 123is read. That is, the contents of the company-wide telephone directorymaster 123 stored in the external storage unit 23 are read in sequence.

[0052] At the step S37, it is determined whether the reading process hasfinished for all of the members of the company registered in thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123. In case of yes, the processis finished. In case of no, the process goes to the step S38.

[0053] At the step S38, it is determined if the floor number of themember designated by a user is equal to the floor number obtained at thestep S32 or S34. That is, it is determined whether the floor numberobtained from the server 1 is equal to the floor number in the entryread out from the company-wide telephone directory master 123, or it isdetermined, in case that a floor number could not be obtained, whetherthe floor number obtained at the last time is equal to the floor numberin the entry read out from the company-wide telephone directory master123. In case of yes, the guidance information is displayed (theextension telephone number and/or the desk position and/or the like ofthe member corresponding to the retrieval request designating the nameand/or department and/or the like of the member from a user (customer)are displayed on the guidance screen) at the step S39, and then theprocess returns to the step S36. In case of no, the process returns tothe step S36.

[0054] As described above, when the power to the reception terminal 2 isturned on, the reception terminal 2 transmits the MAC address to theserver1. When there is no response from the server 1, the receptionterminal 2 reads the floor number obtained at the last start. On theother hand, when the reception terminal 2 receives a floor number fromthe server 1, the reception terminal 2 keeps the floor number, and thenrequests the server 1 to transmit the latest company-wide telephonedirectory master and replaces the company-wide telephone directorymaster stored in the external storage unit 23 with the latestcompany-wide telephone directory master. Thus, the reception terminalmay give a reception guidance to a user by extracting the guidanceinformation corresponding the floor number from the company-widetelephone directory master based on the floor number and by displayingthe extension telephone number and/or the desk position when the userhas requested the guidance about a member whose name and/or departmentand/or the like have been input on the guidance information displayed.Thus, even if the reception terminal 2 can not be connected to theserver 1, when the power to the reception terminal is turned on, thereception terminal 2 may extract the guidance information correspondingto the floor where the reception terminal 2 is placed from thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123 which has been kept based onthe floor number obtained at the last start, and may display theextension telephone number and/or the desk position of a membercorresponding to the request of the guidance about the member by a user,and thereby may start the reception guidance without a stop.

[0055]FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B comprise a flow chart depicting a thirdspecific example of the operation of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0056] At the step S41 in FIG. 5B, the server 1 reads the terminalmanagement master 111.

[0057] At the step S42, the server 1 transmits the start command to thereception terminals 2.

[0058] At the step S43, the LAN controller 21 of the reception terminal2 which has received the start command at the step S42 starts thisreception terminal 2 (turns on the power to the CPU board of thereception terminal 2 to start the reception terminal 2).

[0059] At the step S44, the reception terminal 2 obtains a floor number.That is, the reception terminal 2 transmits a packet, in which the MACaddress of the reception terminal 2 is set, of requesting a floor numberto the server 1, and the server 1, at the step S45, issues a floornumber (the server 1 retrieves, from the terminal management master 111discussed later, the floor number corresponding to the MAC addressrequired by the reception terminal 2 at the step S44), and thentransmits the floor number to the reception terminal 2.

[0060] At the step S46, the server 1 determines whether all of thereception terminals have started. In case of yes, the process of theserver 1 is finished. In case of no, the process returns to the stepS42.

[0061] At the step S47, the company-wide telephone directory master 112is transmitted. That is, the reception terminal 2 requests the server 1to transmit the company-wide telephone directory master 112 to thereception terminal 2 through the network 3. The company-wide telephonedirectory master in the reception terminal 2 is shown as thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123 in FIG. 5A.

[0062] At the step S48, the company-wide telephone directory master 123is read.

[0063] At the step S49, it is determined whether the reading process hasfinished for all of the members of the company registered in thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123. In case of yes, the processis finished. In case pf no, the process goes to the step S50.

[0064] At the step S50, it is determined whether the floor number of themember designated by a user is equal to the floor number obtained at thestep S44. That is, it is determined whether the floor number obtained atthe step S44 is equal to the floor number in the entry read out from thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123, or equal to the particularnumber (e.g., 0) designating the company-wide guidance information. Incase of yes, the reception terminal 2 may automatically performso-called reception operation, in relation to the contents of the entryextracted from the company-wide telephone directory master 123, ofdisplaying the extension telephone number and/or the desk positionand/or the like corresponding to the name and/or department and/or thelike input and/or selected by a user, and/or of dialing the extensiontelephone number.

[0065]FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B comprise a flow chart depicting a fourthspecific example of the operation of this embodiment of the presentinvention. This operation includes the automatic setting of a MACaddress.

[0066] At the step S61 in FIG. 6A, the power to the reception terminal 2is turned on. That is, an administrator or the like performs theoperation of turning on the power to the reception terminal 2.

[0067] At the step S62, the reception terminal 2 obtains a floor number.That is, the reception terminal, the power to which was turned on at thestep S61, starts automatically, and transmits the packet in which a MACaddress is set to the server 1 through the network 3 to request a floornumber. Corresponding to this operation, the server 1 which has read theterminal management master 111 at the step S71 receives the MAC addressfrom the reception terminal 2 at the step S72. The server 1, at the stepS73, determines whether the MAC address has been unregistered in theterminal management master 111. In case of yes, the server 1 registersthe MAC address in the terminal management master 111 at the step S74,and then issues the floor number (0 (zero) designating the all floors inthis example)) to transmit it to the reception terminal 2. On the otherhand, in case of no at the step S73, the server 1 reads out the floornumber in the entry of the MAC address registered in the terminalmanagement master 111, and then transmits the floor number which hasread out at the step S75 to the reception terminal 2.

[0068] At the step S63, it is determined whether there is no responsefrom the server 1. That is, the reception terminal 2 transmits thepacket requesting a floor number to the server 1 at the step S62, anddetermines whether there is no response from the server 1 after apredetermined time has passed. In case of yes, the reception terminal 2assumes that some failure at the server 1 has occurred, and obtains, atthe step S64, the floor number stored in the external storage unit 23 atthe last start, and then the process goes to the step S66. In case of noat the step S63, since the reception terminal 2 has obtained a floornumber from the server 1, the process goes to the step S65. At the stepS65, the server 1 transmits the latest company-wide telephone directorymaster 112 to the reception terminal 2. The company-wide telephonedirectory master in the external storage unit 23 is replaced with thelatest company-wide telephone directory master. The process then goes tothe step S66.

[0069] At the step S66, the company-wide telephone directory master 123is read. That is, the contents of the company-wide telephone directorymaster 123 stored in the external storage unit 23 are read in sequence.

[0070] At the step S67, it is determined whether the reading process hasfinished for all of the members of the company registered in thecompany-wide telephone directory master 123. In case of yes, the processis finished. In case of no, the process goes to the step S68.

[0071] At the step S68, it is determined whether the floor number of themember designated by a user is equal to the floor number obtained at thestep S62 or S64. That is, it is determined whether the floor numberobtained from the server 1 is equal to the floor number in the entryread out from the company-wide telephone directory master 123, or it isdetermined, in case that a floor number could not be obtained, whetherthe floor number obtained at the last time is equal to the floor numberin the entry read out from the company-wide telephone directory master123. In case of yes, the guidance information is displayed (theextension telephone number and/or the desk position and/or the like ofthe member corresponding to the retrieval request designating the nameand/or department and/or the like of the member from a user (customer)are displayed on the guidance screen) at the step S69, and then theprocess returns to the step S66. In case of no, the process returns tothe step S66.

[0072] As described above, when the power to the reception terminal 2 isturned on, the reception terminal 2 transmits the MAC address to theserver1. When there is no response from the server 1, the receptionterminal 2 reads the floor number obtained at the last start. On theother hand, when the reception terminal 2 receives a floor number fromthe server 1, the reception terminal 2 obtains this floor number, andthen requests the server 1 to transmit the latest company-wide telephonedirectory master and replaces the company-wide telephone directorymaster stored in the external storage unit 23 with the latestcompany-wide telephone directory master. When the MAC address which hasbeen transmitted to the server 1 is not registered in the terminalmanagement master 111, that is, when a new reception terminal 2 isconnected to the network 3 and transmits a MAC address to the server 1to request a floor number, the server 1 registers the MAC address of thenew reception terminal 2 in the terminal management master 111. Theserver 1 sets the floor number 0 (zero) designating the guidance aboutall of the floors, and transmits the floor number 0 to the new receptionterminal 2. The reception terminal may give a reception guidance to auser by extracting the guidance information corresponding the floornumber from the company-wide telephone directory master based on thefloor number and by displaying the extension telephone number and/or thedesk position when the user has requested the guidance about a memberwhose name and/or department and/or the like have been input on theguidance information displayed.

[0073] When a reception terminal 2 is out of order, the receptionterminal 2 is removed from the network, and a new reception terminal 2is connected to the network instead of it. After the power to the newreception terminal 2 has been turned on, the new reception terminal 2 isconnected to the server 1, and the MAC address of the new receptionterminal 2 is registered in the terminal management master 111. Theserver 1 then sets the floor number 0, and transmits the floor number 0to the new reception terminal. Consequently, the new reception terminal2 is incorporated in the terminal management master 111. After that, theadministrator may change, whenever necessary, the floor number 0 in theterminal management master 111 to the floor number corresponding to theMAC address of the new reception terminal 2 so that the new receptionterminal 2 may offer the reception guidance only of the floor where thenew reception terminal 2 is placed.

[0074]FIG. 7 shows an example of the terminal management master 111 inthis embodiment. Registered in the terminal management master 111 arefloor numbers, MAC addresses, remarks (place and floor namecorresponding to the floor number), and others related to the floornumbers.

[0075] The floor numbers are the numbers designating the places such asthe floors of a building of a certain company. The MAC addresses are theMAC addresses of the reception terminals 2 placed on the floors or thelike designated by the floor numbers. “A building 1F” and the like inthe remark column mean the places designated by the floor numbers. TheMAC address is a unique address given to the hardware of the receptionterminal 2 connected to the network.

[0076] As described above, since the floor numbers are set being relatedto the MAC addresses (unique addresses of the reception terminals), theplace covered by each of the reception terminals 2 (the place designatedby the floor number) may be registered and managed, and the guidanceinformation which is offered in the place designated by the floor numbermay be extracted from the company-wide telephone directory master 112described below based on the floor number.

[0077]FIG. 8 shows an example of the company-wide telephone directorymaster in this embodiment. In the company-wide telephone directorymaster 112, the following data are registered as shown in FIG. 8.

[0078] Level-1 Department

[0079] Level-2 Department

[0080] Level-n Department

[0081] Kana Name

[0082] Kanji Name

[0083] Floor Number

[0084] (Number designating a place in the company)

[0085] Extension Telephone Number

[0086] Others (Desk position on the floor, etc.)

[0087] In FIG. 8, level-1, level-2, . . . , level-n departments are thehigher level to lower level departments to which a member of the companybelongs (for example, the general affairs department—the general affairssection— . . . ). Kana name is the name expressed with Japanese Kanacharacters, Kanji name is the name expressed with Chinese characters.The floor number is the number of the floor where the department towhich a member of the company belongs is located.

[0088] As described above, since departments, names, floor numbers,extension numbers, and others (desk positions, places shown in thelayout of the department) are registered, the reception terminal mayretrieve the extension telephone numbers and/or desk positionscorresponding the floor number, and display them on the guidance screenof the reception terminal to offer the guidance information. That is,the reception terminals 2 to which floor numbers 1 to n are transmittedrespectively, may retrieve the extension telephone numbers and/or thedesk positions of the members to whom the floor numbers are setrespectively, and display them to offer the guidance information. On theother hand, the reception terminal to which the floor number 0 istransmitted may retrieve extension telephone numbers and/or the deskpositions of the members to whom all of the floor numbers are set, anddisplay them to offer the guidance information.

[0089] As described above, in the present invention, each of thereception terminals 2 is connected to the management server 1 through anetwork 3 so that the power to the reception terminal 2 may be turned onand off automatically by the management server 1, and the number (e.g.,floor number) corresponding to the guidance information is transmittedfrom the management server 1 to the reception terminal 2 when thereception terminal 2 is connected to the network 3 so that the extensiontelephone number and/or desk position and/or the like, of the memberdesignated by a user, in the guidance information extracted from thecompany-wide information based on the number, or in the company-wideguidance information, may be indicated for the user.

[0090] When a reception terminal 2 is out of order, the receptionterminal 2 is removed from the network, and a new reception terminal 2is connected to the network instead of it. After the power to the newreception terminal 2 has been turned on, the new reception terminal 2 isconnected to the server 1, and the MAC address of the new receptionterminal 2 is transmitted to the server 1 automatically and registeredin the terminal management master 111. The reception terminal 2 receivesa floor number and the company-wide telephone directory master 112 sothat the extension number and/or desk position retrieved based on thename and/or department designated by a user may be indicated for theuser. And the administrator may change, whenever necessary, the floornumber, in the terminal management master 111, corresponding to the MACaddress of the new reception terminal 2, to any number so that the newreception terminal 2 may offer the guidance information only about themembers on the floor where the new reception terminal 2 is placed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A guidance information setting apparatus forsetting guidance information, comprising: a means for transmitting theunique information about a terminal to a server when the terminal isconnected to a network; a means for receiving guidance information orthe number corresponding to the guidance information in response totransmitting said unique information to the server; and a means forindicating the guidance information for a user based on said receivedguidance information or the guidance information extracted from acompany-wide information based on the received number.
 2. A guidanceinformation setting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means forindicating the guidance information for a user, when said terminal hasreceived no response from said server, based on the last receivedguidance information or the guidance information extracted from acompany-wide information based on the last received number.
 3. Aguidance information setting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising ameans for indicating company-wide guidance information when saidreceived number is a particular number designating company-wideguidance.
 4. A guidance information setting apparatus for settingguidance information, comprising: a means for transmitting a powerturn-on command or a power turn-off command to each of the terminalsregistered in a master through a network; a means for receiving uniqueinformation about each of the terminals transmitted therefrom throughthe network; a means for transmitting a number in the entry registeredin the master to the terminal when the received unique information aboutthe terminal has been registered in the master, and for registering newunique information and a particular number designating company-wideguidance in the master, and transmitting the particular number to theterminal, when the received unique information has not been registeredin the master; and a means for transmitting company-wide guidanceinformation or the guidance information corresponding to the number inthe entry or the particular number to the terminals.
 5. A guidanceinformation setting method for setting guidance information, comprising:a step of transmitting the unique information about a terminal to aserver when the terminal is connected to a network; a step of receivingguidance information or the number corresponding to the guidanceinformation in response to transmitting said unique information to theserver; and a step of indicating the guidance information for a userbased on said received guidance information or the guidance informationextracted from a company-wide information based on the received number.6. A guidance information setting method of claim 5 further comprising astep of indicating the guidance information for a user, when saidterminal has received no response from said server, based on the lastreceived guidance information or the guidance information extracted froma company-wide information based on the last received number.
 7. Aguidance information setting method of claim 5 further comprising a stepof indicating company-wide guidance information when said receivednumber is a particular number designating company-wide guidance.
 8. Aguidance information setting method for setting guidance information,comprising: a step of transmitting a power turn-on command or a powerturn-off command to each of the terminals registered in a master througha network; a step of receiving unique information about each of theterminals transmitted therefrom through the network; a step oftransmitting a number in the entry registered in the master to theterminal when the received unique information about the terminal hasbeen registered in the master, and for registering new uniqueinformation and a particular number designating company-wide guidance inthe master, and transmitting the particular number to the terminal, whenthe received unique information has not been registered in the master;and a step of transmitting company-wide guidance information or theguidance information corresponding to the number in the entry or theparticular number to the terminals.
 9. A program for setting guidanceinformation, which allows a computer to execute: a step of transmittingthe unique information about a terminal to a server when the terminal isconnected to a network; a step of receiving guidance information or thenumber corresponding to the guidance information in response totransmitting said unique information to the server; and a step ofindicating the guidance information for a user based on said receivedguidance information or the guidance information extracted from acompany-wide information based on the received number.
 10. A program ofclaim 9 further comprising a step of indicating the guidance informationfor a user, when said terminal has received no response from saidserver, based on the last received guidance information or the guidanceinformation extracted from a company-wide information based on the lastreceived number.
 11. A program of claim 9 further comprising a step ofindicating company-wide guidance information when said received numberis a particular number designating company-wide guidance.
 12. A programfor setting guidance information, which allows a computer to execute: astep of transmitting a power turn-on command or a power turn-off commandto each of the terminals registered in a master through a network; astep of receiving unique information about each of the terminalstransmitted therefrom through the network; a step of transmitting anumber in the entry registered in the master to the terminal when thereceived unique information about the terminal has been registered inthe master, and for registering new unique information and a particularnumber designating company-wide guidance in the master, and transmittingthe particular number to the terminal, when the received uniqueinformation has not been registered in the master; and a step oftransmitting company-wide guidance information or the guidanceinformation corresponding to the number in the entry or the particularnumber to the terminals.
 13. A computer readable recording medium forsetting guidance information, which stores a program allowing a computerto execute: a step of transmitting the unique information about aterminal to a server when the terminal is connected to a network; a stepof receiving guidance information or the number corresponding to theguidance information in response to transmitting said unique informationto the server; and a step of indicating the guidance information for auser based on said received guidance information or the guidanceinformation extracted from a company-wide information based on thereceived number.
 14. A computer readable recording medium of claim 13further comprising a step of indicating the guidance information for auser, when said terminal has received no response from said server,based on the last received guidance information or the guidanceinformation extracted from a company-wide information based on the lastreceived number.
 15. A computer readable recording medium of claim 13further comprising a step of indicating company-wide guidanceinformation when said received number is a particular number designatingcompany-wide guidance.
 16. A computer readable recording medium forsetting guidance information, which stores a program allowing a computerto execute: a step of transmitting a power turn-on command or a powerturn-off command to each of the terminals registered in a master througha network; a step of receiving unique information about each of theterminals transmitted therefrom through the network; a step oftransmitting a number in the entry registered in the master to theterminal when the received unique information about the terminal hasbeen registered in the master, and for registering new uniqueinformation and a particular number designating company-wide guidance inthe master, and transmitting the particular number to the terminal, whenthe received unique information has not been registered in the master;and a step of transmitting company-wide guidance information or theguidance information corresponding to the number in the entry or theparticular number to the terminals.